According to Bon Appétit, this is one of the easiest, most delicious ways to cook down a whole head of cabbage until it’s falling-apart tender. And those gorgeous Autumn colors welcome you to a new cooler season.
Numerous reviewers mentioned they had, or wished they had, doubled the sauce, therefore I went ahead with that suggestion. I also added some smoked paprika, just enough to give it a slightly smoky kick. Finally, homemade chicken stock was subbed for the water. Of course, if you are vegetarian you could keep the water or use vegetable stock.
If the spiced tomato paste has reduced and the pan starts getting dry and dark before the cabbage is ready, just add a splash of water to loosen and let it keep going.
The Hubs couldn’t get enough, he even wanted to drink any leftover sauce—good thing I doubled it! He said the aroma and taste reminded him of Gołąbki without the filling. Smacznego!
Fall-Apart Caramelized Cabbage
Ingredients
- ½ cup double-concentrated tomato paste
- 6 garlic cloves, finely grated
- 1 Tbsp. ground coriander
- 1 Tbsp. ground cumin
- ½ tsp. smoked paprika
- 2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 medium head of savoy cabbage (about 2 lb. total)
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- Kosher salt
- 2 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade (or water to keep it vegetarian)
- 3 Tbsp. chopped dill, parsley, or cilantro
- Full-fat Greek yogurt or sour cream (for serving)
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°. Mix tomato paste, garlic, coriander, cumin, and red pepper flakes in a small bowl.
- Cut cabbage in half through core. Cut each half through core into 4 wedges, so that the core remains on each piece.
- Heat ¼ cup oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high. Working in batches if needed, add cabbage to pan cut side down and season with salt. Cook, turning occasionally, until lightly charred, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer cabbage to a plate. You may have to add a bit more oil to the pan if doing a second batch.
- Pour remaining ¼ cup oil into skillet. Add spiced tomato paste and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until tomato paste begins to split and slightly darken, 3–4 minutes. Pour in enough chicken stock (or water) to come halfway up sides of pan (about 2 cups), season with salt, and bring to a simmer.
- Nestle cabbage wedges back into skillet (they should have shrunk while browning; a bit of overlap is okay). Transfer cabbage to oven and bake, uncovered and turning wedges halfway through, until very tender, liquid is mostly evaporated, and cabbage is caramelized around the edges, 40–50 minutes.
- Scatter dill over cabbage. Serve with yogurt alongside.
Adapted from a recipe by Andy Baraghani for Bon Appétit
Accounting for Taste 
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